The present invention relates to vehicle signal lights. More specifically, the present invention relates to brake lights for a vehicle and in particular to the high mount stop lamp mandated by the National Highway Transit Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 1986 in conjunction with the illumination of an automobile manufacturer's or vehicle model's logo.
Manufacturers expend substantial sums each year to insure brand and product recognition. In particular, in the automobile industry, much effort is put into insuring recognition of particular symbols associated with vehicles, e.g., the Mercedes-Benz thri-star, the Cadillac wreath, the Honda "H", and the Audi circles, etc. To this end, manufacturers usually attach their particular logos or symbols to their vehicles in appropriate locations. Some manufacturers have also attached vehicle symbols to the brake lights such as the Ford Thunderbird.
In 1986, legislation was enacted requiring that automobiles have a third brake light disposed toward the upper middle section of the rear of the automobile. It was determined through various studies that the inclusion of a third brake light would reduce the number of rear-end collisions. The requirements for this "high mounted stop lamp" are set forth in Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The rear high mounted stop light is generally located above and between the traditional rear stop lights. In most cases manufacturers have placed the high mount stop light inside the rear window of the vehicle, although today it often appears as an array in air dams. The size and shape of the mandated high mount brake light varies but the most common are rectangular in shape, approximately 4 to 5 inches in length and approximately 2 inches in height.
Japanese Patent Application, 52 29460 is representative of the mandated high mounted brake light located in the rear air dam of a vehicle.
In the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,525 to Sheehy which describes a fiber-optic lighting system for display of a vehicle manufacturer's name in the tailgate of a pickup truck. This system is very large and complex and is not readily adaptable to passenger automobiles. Additionally, Sheehy displays the manufacturer's full name (six letters) across a substantial area of the vehicle. Illumination of Sheehy's large letters could be disconcerting and thus hazardous and counter productive to the reduction of rear end collisions. In addition, it would be unattractive, costly, and space consuming for a passenger vehicle.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,836,913, 4,860,476, 4,843,369, 4,879,826, 2,800,545, 2,485,719, exemplify the fact that it is well known in the art that illuminated messages can be displayed by an apparatus attached to the rear end of a vehicle.
Although messages and illuminated manufacturers logos have been proposed for vehicles, neither of these two items have ever been incorporated or even suggested to be incorporated with the mandated high mounted brake light. More importantly, the prior art has never disclosed or suggested incorporating an illuminated manufacturer's logo with the mandated high mounted brake light. Such a functional assembly would result in cost savings to automobile manufacturers because two separate elements, the illuminated logo and mandated high mounted brake light would be incorporated in one element. In addition the inclusion of an illuminated logo or visible product recognition device would save the vehicle manufacturer substantial advertising expenditures.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an apparatus to illuminate and display a manufacturer's logo or vehicle recognition symbol in a manner to be readily observed by the public.